Director Emily Hagins likes classic teen movies, Halloween and horror. So, perhaps naturally, she has made a trailer for a film that combines the two. Glorgon’s Girl isn’t actually a feature, but here’s the trailer you’d see if the movie was real. The concept is pretty simple. What if, instead of pining after a handsome jock, the cute girl in school fell for a gross alien?

We’re still at the point where there’s reason to talk about director Emily Hagins‘ own narrative as we talk about her movies. Hagins started her first feature, Pathogen, when she was not even a teen, and her 2011 film, My Sucky Teen Romance, played SXSW when she was just eighteen. Usually when young people are involved in filmmaking, we see them mature though their work in front of the camera. In this case, we have the unique opportunity to watch a filmmaker’s transition into adulthood through the films she makes.

Her latest film is Grow Up, Tony Phillips, which casts Tony Vespe as a high school kid whose love for Halloween represents the fact that he’s just a bit out of step with everyone else around him. AJ Bowen, Devin Bonee, Katie Folger and Caleb Barwick are also featured in the film.

The film’s trailer has shown up online in advance of a premiere next week at SXSW, and you can have a look below. Read More »

This weekend at Austin Comic-Con, teenage filmmaker Emily Hagins‘ premiered the trailer for her new movie, My Sucky Teen Romance. Some of you might remember Emily from the popular filmmaking documentary Zombie Girl: The Movie, which chronicled Hagins attempt to film a feature length zombie movie at the age of only twelve. Now eighteen years old, Emily has just completed her third feature — a teen vampire comedy.

As I’ve said before, I think the concept of the film is kind of clever. Where can real vampires prey in a world obsessed with fictional Vampires? How about a sci-fi convention filled with Twilight fans. The vampires don’t even need to disguise themselves, as they blend in with the vampire cosplayers walking the floor. Hit the jump to watch the first trailer for the independently produced film. At very least, the trailer looks to be a better send-up of the teen vampire film genre than the Friedberg/Seltzer 2010 spoof “comedy” Vampire’s Suck, and made for a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the budget.Read More »

I have just been sent the first production photo from Emily Hagins‘ new movie, My Sucky Teen Romance, which is currently in production in Austin, Texas (wrap is scheduled for the beginning of September). Some of you might remember Emily from the popular filmmaking documentary Zombie Girl: The Movie, which Hagins attempt to film a feature length zombie movie at the age of only twelve years old. Emily is now 17 years old and for her third feature, she has chosen to script a teen comedy, but with vampires. Her latest effort has her biggest budget yet, and a number of local Austin professionals have stepped forward to help her achieve her vision on film.

“I’m really excited about this project,” said Hagins. “It’s the most professional crew I’ve ever worked with, which is enabling me to focus on getting great performances from the teen cast.”

I think the concept of the film is kind of clever. Where can real vampires prey in a world obsessed with fictional Vampires? How about a sci-fi convention filled with Twilight fans. The vampires don’t even need to disguise themselves, as they blend in with the vampire cosplayers walking the floor. Hit the jump to see the first production photo released from this independent production.

Last year at Fantastic Fest, I caught the premiere of Zombie Girl: The Movie, a documentary about Emily Hagins, a 12-year-old girl from Austin Texas who spent two years directing a feature-length zombie movie. Encouraged by her mother Megan, who produced, created the special effects and held the boom mic, Emily filmed the movie on weekends and school holidays. Emily is what you would expect from a director of her age: highly unorganized, unfocused and unable to communicate clearly. At one point she gives an actress the direction to “act sorta like yourself, except you’re being chased by zombies.”

The film captures the magic and struggle of micro-budget indie filmmaking. But at it’s core, it is a movie about a mother and a daughter who were brought together through the love of film and (insert over dramatic effect) almost torn apart due to the making of a film. Zombie Girl: The Movie is now available online for free through Hulu/SnagFilms.Read More »

Zombie Girl: The Movie is a fun documentary about Emily Hagins, a 12-year-old girl from Austin Texas who spent two years directing a feature-length zombie movie titled Pathogen. Encouraged by her mother Megan, who produced, created the special effects and held the boom mike, Emily filmed the movie on weekends and school holidays. Emily is what you would expect from a director of her age: highly unorganized, unfocused and unable to communicate clearly. At one point she gives an actress the direction to “act sorta like yourself, except you’re being chased by zombies.” The film captures the magic and struggle of micro-budget indie filmmaking. But at it’s core, it is a movie about a mother and a daughter who were brought together through the love of film and (insert over dramatic effect) almost torn apart due to the making of a film. 6.5/10

The Chaser: Many of the films I’ve seen at Fantastic Fest could, and probably will, be remade for English-speaking audiences. The Chaser is a South Korean film which is already being adapted by William Monahan (The Departed) with Leonardo DiCaprio rumored to star. The film tells the story of a dirty detective turned pimp who has had several of his girls disappear. He sends one of his girls to meet with the same client whom all of the missing girls last visited. At first he believes that the client is stealing his women, but it turns out they have been at the fatal end of this impotent killer. When his girl doesn’t text him the address, as planned, Joong-ho has to go on a hunt to find the killer and rescue the girl with the woman’s seven-year-old daughter. The Chaser is thrilling, and takes several unexpected turns that will have you mouth firmly stuck in the open position. Joong-Ho develops a relationship with the little girl, which just further cranks up the stakes for the recovery of her mother. I hate to use the cliche that you’ll be on the edge of your seat, but The Chaser is that type of film. 8/10